Side-by-side license comparison
| Metric | Commercial Driver (CDL) | Cosmetologist |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Transportation | Personal Care |
| Median Salary | $54,320 | $37,630 |
| Avg Initial Fee | $97 | $128 |
| Difficulty | Medium | Low |
| Education | CDL Training (3-7 weeks) | 1000-2100 hours training |
| Exam | CDL Knowledge + Skills Test | State Board (Written + Practical) |
| Time to License | 1-2 months | 9-24 months |
| Renewal Period | Every 5 yr | Every 2 yr |
| CE Hours / Cycle | 0 hrs | 8 hrs |
| States Requiring | 53 of 53 | 53 of 53 |
Commercial Driver (CDL) earns $16,690 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $166,900 in additional earnings.
The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.